Dahlia plant named ‘Melody Lizza’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Dahlia  plant named ‘Melody Lizza’, characterized by its pink-bicolor ray florets, yellow-colored disc florets and vigorous, upright and mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Melody Lizza’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Dahlia plant,botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Melody Lizza’.

The new cultivar originated as the product of the open pollination ofthe proprietary breeding selection designated VD-0-9, not patented,during 1997 at Lisse, The Netherlands. The new Dahlia was discovered andselected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the abovestated open pollination during the summer of 1998 at Lisse. TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since1998 at Lisse, Netherlands and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type, with all characteristics asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was repeatedly found that the cultivar of the present invention:

-   -   1. Forms double pink-bicolor ray florets and yellow disk        florets.    -   2. Exhibits a vigorous, upright, and mounded growth habit.

‘Melody Lizza’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in plant height and ray floret color.

Of the many Dahlia cultivars known to the inventor, ‘Melody Lizza’ canbe compared to the cultivar ‘Melody Dixie’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,911)and the cultivar ‘Gallery Bellini’ (U.S. Pat. No. 14,162). However, inside by side comparisons, ‘Melody Lizza’ differs from ‘Melody Dixie’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of ‘Melody Lizza’ exhibit darker foliage color than do        plants of ‘Melody Dixie’.    -   2. The flowers of ‘Melody Lizza’ are pink-bicolor whereas those        of ‘Melody Dixie’ are cream-white in the center with        lilac-purple margins.    -   3. The plant habit of ‘Melody Lizza’ is much more branching with        shorter internodes than ‘Melody Dixie’ which has a more        stretching habit.

Furthermore, in side by side comparisons ‘Melody Lizza’ differs from‘Gallery Bellini’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of ‘Melody Lizza’ are more branching than plants of        ‘Gallery Bellini’.    -   2. Plants of ‘Melody Lizza’ are taller than plants of ‘Gallery        Bellini’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants weregrown for 16 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Melody Lizza’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single flower ‘Melody Lizza’just opening.

FIG. 3 illustrates a single fully open flower of ‘Melody Lizza’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,1995 edition, except where color terms of ordinary significance areused. The color values were determined on May 21, 2003 in West Chicago,Ill. The readings were taken between 10:00 and 11:45 a.m. under naturallight conditions. The plants were produced from cuttings taken fromstock plants and were grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in 15 cm pots for 16 weeks while utilizing a soillessgrowth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately65°-70° F. (18°-21° C.) during the day and approximately 60°-65° F.(15°-18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintainedat approximately 4,000-7,000 footcandles during the day. Plants werepinched three weeks after planting of rooted cuttings. The followingmeasurements and descriptions were taken at 16 weeks after planting ofrooted cuttings.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar ‘Melody Lizza’.-   Parentage: Open pollination of the proprietary Dahlia breeding    selection designated VD-0-9.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.        -   Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 to 28 days.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Tubers.—Will form under short day conditions of at least 13            to 14 hours of darkness.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance and habit.—Upright, mounded and vigorous.        -   Crop time.—Approximately 65-70 days to first flower.        -   Size.—Height from top of soil to top of plant plane:            Approximately 49.3 cm. Width: Approximately 44.2 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Basal branching, pinching enhances            branching.        -   Branch description.—Strength: Strong. Quantity per plant:            Approximately 4. Length: Approximately 30.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 7.7 mm. Color: 143B with overlay of 183A.            Texture: Glabrous. Length of 4^(th) internode: Approximately            6.1 cm.        -   Foliage.—Form: Both simple and compound. Quantity of leaves            per lateral branch: Approximately 18. Quantity of leaflets            per leaf: 3 or 5. Leaf/leaflet: Shape: Ovate. Margin:            Serrate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Arrangement:            Opposite. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture: Upper surface:            Hispidulous, slightly rugose. Size of simple leaves: Length:            Approximately 8 cm. Width: Approximately: 3 cm. Petiole            length: Approximately 4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3 mm.            Size of mature trifolate leaves: Length: Approximately            12.4 cm. Width: Approximately 11.2 cm. Petiole of compound            leaf: Length: 5.2 cm. Diameter: 4 mm. Color: 144A with            overlay of 184A. Size of terminal leaflets: Length:            Approximately 8.4 cm. Width: Approximately 4.4 cm. Size of            lateral leaflets: Length: Approximately 6.4 cm. Width:            Approximately 2.9 cm. Color of young foliage: Upper surface:            137A with venation of 146C. Lower surface: 191A with            venation of 146B. Color of mature foliage: Upper surface:            Darker than 147A with veins of 147B. Lower surface: Closest            to 191A with veins of 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Outdoor flowering habit.—‘Melody Lizza’ is freely flowering            under outdoor growing conditions was substantially            continuous blooming from spring through fall.        -   Appearance.—Fully double, arising from leaf axils on strong            peduncles, positioned just over the foliage. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 3 inflorescences open at any one time.            Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.            Persistent.        -   Lastingness of bloom.—Approximately 4 weeks from first open            ray floret to senescence.        -   Flower bud.—Rate of opening: Approximately 2 weeks from            first color to full bloom. Shape: Oblate. Bud just before            color: Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width: Approximately            1.3 cm. Color: 151A. Bud at first color: Length:            Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter at first color: Approximately            1.7 cm. Color: N74A.        -   Shape/size.—Hemispherical. Diameter: Approximately 11.7 cm.            Depth: Approximately 7 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately            1.3 cm. Receptacle diameter: Approximately 2 cm. Receptacle            height/depth: Approximately 5 mm. Receptable texture: Rough.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity: Approximately 311 per inflorescence            arranged in approximately 11 whorls. Shape: Elongated,            cupped. Length: Approximately 5 cm. Width: Approximately            1.7 cm. Apex: Obtuse to emarginate with two or three tips.            Base: Fused to form tube. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous.            Color: Fully opened, upper surface: Mixture of longitudinal            areas of alternating and blending of 73C and 67C with            venation of 155D, margin of 67A and base of N155B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 73C with venation of 155D, margin of            67A and base of N155B.        -   Disc florets.—Disc florets develop after most of the ray            florets have died. Quantity: Approximately 30. Shape:            Elongated, cylindrical. Texture: Glabrous. Color:            Transparent, 9A at apex, 150D at base.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, erect. Length: Approximately 12 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 3 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color:            144B.        -   Outer involucral bracts.—Quantity: Approximately 8. Shape:            Lanceolate. Tip: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous.            Color of upper and lower surfaces: 146A with parallel            venation of 150A.        -   Inner involucral bracts.—Quantity: One per floret. Shape:            Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Length: 1.3 cm.            Width: 4 mm. Color: Transparent, 150C at apex, 150D at base.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium — On disc florets. Stamen            number: 4. Anther length: Approximately 3.5 mm. Anther            color: 9A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color is 21A.            Gynoecium — On disc and ray florets. Pistil length:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Stigma length: 4 mm. Stigma color: 9A.            Style length: 6 mm. Style color: 150D. Ovary length: 2 mm.            Ovary color: 145B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Dahlia has not been observed.-   Hardiness zone: ‘Melody Lizza’ is presumably hardy in zones nine (9)    and above.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Melody Lizza’substantially, as herein shown and described, which:
 1. Forms double,pink bi-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.
 2. Exhibitsa vigorous, upright, and mounded growth habit.